Iraq Advances Draft of Constitution

Negotiations to Continue,
Aiming to Win Over Sunnis;
White House Hails Event

By

Farnaz Fassihi and

Christopher Cooper Staff Reporters of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Updated Aug. 23, 2005 12:01 a.m. ET

With several pivotal issues still unresolved, a draft of Iraq's constitution was submitted to the National Assembly yesterday, just hours after President Bush praised negotiators' efforts and vowed to stay the course.

Speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Salt Lake City, Mr. Bush compared the Iraq conflict to World War II and emphasized a theme his administration has hammered on for weeks -- that remaining in Iraq is the linchpin to victory in the overall war on terrorism. "The only way to defend our citizens...